We went to Maui!
And it was bliss. [As if there were any other option]
Hawaii is 100% paradise. It’s where I am truly on vacation from the second we step off the plane…and as the kids get older, it’s just getting better and better!
Case in point: the photo above with our luggage. Two small suitcases, two boosters. THAT’S ALL WE PACKED!!! No pack n play. No suitcase full of diapers. No portable toilet. None of that.
Full disclosure: P only switched to a booster a month ago and V only got one for this trip because I was over schlepping carseats. Both kids are legally the right height and weight for a booster, but I figure I might as well keep them in five point restraints at home as long as possible.
Anyway. None of that matters now because in the moment we were light as a feather arriving at the terminal.
The other key purchase that made the flight heavenly was getting them both tablets. They were on mega sale, so I got both for only $50 total and knowing how well it served us on the way there and back I would have paid double for them. We downloaded games and Netflix and they barely bothered me to ask for food. Wow oh wow.
FYI there are a TON of free apps for tablets that are educational – teaching geography through map puzzles, Spanish vocab, etc. P loves all games with buying and selling components, which is basically just math homework. Sweet. V preferred the pet grooming and pedicure games, but who really cares. Vacation mode!!
We arrived well past (our) lunch, but we were all messed up on time zones and starving anyway, so we just went to WF to grab some eats (and a few groceries). The Whole Foods on Maui is 2 minutes from the airport so it’s perfect.
FRIED TOFU!! OMG was this ever delish. I added tamari to it and the Brussels sprouts and my taste buds were very pleased about the start to our trip.
This was our first time at Nanea.
The pool has a super mellow slide, splash pad, and wading area, but they are getting to be decent swimmers, so we were able to spend a bunch of time in the main pool as well.
I don’t have many pool pics because I was in with them and didn’t want to bring my camera near the water. In fact, the only time I didn’t get in the pool was when we walked over to the sister Westin property (Ocean Villas) to play on their pirate ship one day.
It was super hot, so it felt great in the pool.
The beginning of the dessert scene: vegan pudding from WF, chocolate mac nuts, salted mac nuts, chocolate bark, Endangered Species caramel sea salt dark chocolate, Lily’s dark chocolate PB cups, Hawaiian Host caramacs, etc.
Bacon boy getting his vacation feasting on.
We ate breakfast at the hotel buffet (Mauka Makai) a few days just out of convenience (also they gave us some vouchers for free meals because we opted out of maids service). But when we weren’t stuffing our faces with endless amounts of savory brunch fare, Kyle and I were alllll up in Choice Health Bar. I have blogged about it plenty in previous Maui recaps, but suffice it to say, we are OBSESSED with their acai bowls. Specifically the POWabunga bowl (which has fresh fruit, almond butter, and honey on top). I get mine with the paleo granola too, which is basically crunchy nuts, seeds, and coconut. NOM.
Choice sells raw, vegan treats too, which I am also VERY familiar with thanks to previous trips…the bomb.com bar being the winner by a land slide. The maca ball is also great, but their new one (the Genius bar) was just okay. It looks like it would be insane due to the nut butter dripping all over the top, but it was pretty ‘green’ tasting if you know what I mean. The bomb.com bar tastes like a candy bar. It’s freakin amazing.
When we weren’t in the pool or eating, we were reading and drawing. Shockingly, V took naps on most days, so we came back to the room for that (and lunch).
Another thing I love about vacations is that I can pick up my crossword hobby. Aint nobody got time for that at home. But on vacation, I work on it all day (or until it’s done). And then the next morning I pick up a new one on the way back from the hotel gym.
That’s another thing that’s great about vacation. I can work out in the gym watching Bravo. It hardly feels like exercise (and I probably barely get my heart rate up – but WHO CARES). With vacation exercise, any level of effort counts in my eyes.
Banyan tree in downtown Lahaina. Classic Maui activity. We popped into the Hawaiian Cookie Co too (OF COURSE).
Ahola Mixed Plate feels like down home Hawaiian cooking but with better ambiance.
I’ve tried several things on the menu here, including the short ribs (not on the menu right now), the Hoaloha salad, kalbia ribs, and the Kalua pig plate.
I ended up getting the kalua pig (again) and then sharing some with the kids in exchange for some of the fish on their Mixed plate. Kyle also got the mixed plate (it comes with shoyu chicken, teriyaki beef, and the fish of the day). We had leftovers of some of the meat, as well as rice and macaroni salad, which they had for lunches over the next two days.
The highlight of the meal, for me, was the spam musubi. I’d never gotten it before, but had been wanting to try it for a while. It’s different than your typical musubi, in that it’s deconstructed and you assemble it yourself. They provide the nori, furikake-shiitake rice and house made ‘spamp’, and then you wrap it up! It was salty deliciousness.
Hang loose!
We had another great dinner at Leilani’s. It was under construction last year when we were in Hawaii, so I was excited to see what it looked like now, and it’s so great! They have these cool shades that pull down so the sun isn’t beating down on you, but you still feel like you’re outside and on the beach.
Kyle and I both got the same thing (ahi) and the kids split the fish dish from the keiki menu (which I think was mahi mahi?).
Leilani’s is now higher up in the list of favorites for sure. And if you have kids with early bed times, you can take advantage of the chef’s three course tasting menu which is only $27 (but ends at 5:30 pm). We alllllmost did it, because the apps and dessert sounded so great, but the ahi dish on the main menu sounded better.
It was movie night at Whaler’s village, but we ended up going home for an evening swim instead. That’s what you do when the only reservations you can get are before 6 š
ZZZZZZ
š š š
Another island fave is Tamura’s Fine Wine and Liquor, which we hit up for takeaway. You have to go early because it’s no longer a secret that they have the best poke, so they are often sold out by the afternoon. We went right when they opened and then enjoyed a dinner in that night.
Clockwise: Tamura’s special ahi, seaweed salad, Sunrise ahi, spicy ahi, and salmon poke
Unpictured: smoked swordfish, rice, and fresh pineapple
We were going to eat on our balcony, but it was too windy, but it was all good because the hotel suite had a dining table (and kitchen).
Lil sweet peas.
Would you believe me if I told you he chose his audio book (played through the tablet) over TV?!?! It was shocking to me too. But also not, because he’s a total sucker for a story. He even made me read some of my book aloud to him because he was so curious. He didn’t even care that it was the middle and the end and he had no context at all! Silly boy.
Another take away meal eaten on the balcony – this time from The Fish Market Maui. Can’t go wrong with fish n chips. My body was really craving some kind of veggie so I got a $2 side of cole slaw but then I opened it up and it was literally a condiment container of slaw. Like one bite. See it in the top corner?? So I asked for more and they gave me a more normal portion in a soup container. Now I know not to order any side dishes from them!
The only other meal I took pics of was from Inu, the poolside bar and grill at Nanea. I didn’t have high expectations because it’s hotel pool food, which is why I was super impressed when all this yummy stuff came out!!
My Upcountry Cobb salad is the top left (crispy Hawaiian pastrami is basically spam bacon…DROOL). The kids split the kids’ Cobb salad and the burger, which was way too much food but they still ate it all. And Kyle got the Day After, which happily filled the saimin noodle shaped hole in his heart that was the result of not visiting Star Noodle at all this vacation.
Aloha for now!
